Hayley Yelling

Hayley Yelling Higham (born 3 January 1974) is a British former runner. She is the sister-in-law of fellow British runner Liz Yelling.

Biography Yelling, a member of the Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow Athletic Club, finished third behind Paula Radcliffe in the 5,000 metres event and third behind Birhan Dagne in the 10,000 metres event at the 2000 AAA Championships and then the following year she finished second behind Jo Pavey at the 2001 AAA Championships.

Yelling became the British 5,000 metres champion after winning the British AAA Championships at the 2002 AAA Championships and shortly afterwards she represented England at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester in the women's 10,000 metres event.

Yelling regained her AAA 5,000 metres title at the 2003 AAA Championships and 2005 AAA Championships and in between in December 2004, she won the European Cross Country Championship in Heringsdorf. Yelling was also officially the British champion over 10,000 metres in 2002, 2003 and 2006 by virtue of being the highest placed British athlete

In December 2009 she won the European Cross Country Championship in Dublin after coming out of retirement from competitive running. She followed this up a month later by coming fourth in the 2010 International Edinburgh Cross Country, fourteen seconds after winner Tirunesh Dibaba over the freezing 5.8 kilometre course.

She works as a Maths teacher at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School in Marlow.

Career highlights

British National Championships 2002 – 1st, 5,000 m 2003 – 1st, 10,000 m 2003 – 1st, 5,000 m 2006 – 1st, 5,000 m

Other competitions 2004 – 1st, European Cross Country Championships 2007 – 1st, Cross Internacional de San Sebastián 2008 – 1st, Belfast International Cross Country 2009 – 1st, European Cross Country Championships

Personal bests

Distance Mark Date Location 3,000 m 8:58.98 4 July 2001 Cardiff 5,000 m 15:16.44 23 July 2005 Heusden 10,000 m track 31:45.14 12 June 2004 Utrecht 10,000 m road 32:31 5 February 2006 Chichester Half marathon 1:12.11 1 October 2006 Newcastle